How to Turn Damaged Hair Into Lustrous Tresses

Not
everybody is blessed with naturally soft, lustrous hair. Whether it’s because
of damage from chemicals and heat or genetic inheritance, it’s a problem for many people. However,
there are ways to turn unmanageable, lack-luster hair into shiny, supple
tresses. Best of all, it can be done with little or no money spent!

First off,
you should determine whether or not your hair has been damaged by chemicals or
heat. Using hair dyes, chemical perms and relaxers, or heated hair styling
tools will undoubtedly cause permanent damage to the structure of your strands.
It should be understood that there is no way to undo this damage, but there are
things you can do to make it appear healthy, which we’ll go over later on.

If you’re
concerned about the texture and softness of your hair, you’re probably familiar
with the art of changing other aspects of its appearance as well. While using
chemicals and heat to change the look of your hair can be addicting and even
fun, it has ill effects on the health of your hair. The most obvious way to
prevent any further damage is to stop using these destructive methods of
changing your look. However, this is easier said than done for many people.
Thankfully, there are options for those of us with a hair addiction.

Permanent
dyes make use of hydrogen peroxide, commonly known as the developer, in order
to open the hair cuticle in preparation for the dye depositing pigmentation
into the strand’s core. The disrupted cuticle is what can make dyed hair look
dull and frazzled. Instead of using harmful permanent dye, dyes that use
staining to color the hair, such as semi-permanent or henna dyes, can sometimes
be a suitable replacement. These will not harm the integrity of your precious
strands, but rather coat the outside with a colored layer that gradually washes
away. If this is not an option, you can opt to use the lowest volume developer
possible with your chemical dye, which is volume 10. At this level, less damage
will be accumulated.

Products That Work

Heat
damage is a common way in which we tend to harm our hair. This is probably
because styling our hair with heat is part of our daily routines and we rarely
give a second thought as to the damage we may be doing. In order to combat heat
damage from styling tools, heat protection sprays are a great option. They are
relatively inexpensive and are quite effective. They work by adding a thin
coating to the strands which protect them from the heat while still allowing
their shape to be manipulated. It should be applied to damp hair right before
the styling takes place. In addition to heat protection sprays, you can hunt
for heat-free hairstyles in order to give your hair a rest every few days. There
are a plethora of free hair tutorials available online that require no heat.
While it may take a bit of experimentation to find heat-free styles that work
for you, your hard work will be rewarded with healthier hair and perhaps a
quicker morning routine.

So, the
damage to your hair has already been done. What can be done to fix it now? As
you’ve already read, damage to your hair can not actually be reversed once it
has occurred. However, the appearance of damage can definitely be lessened.
There are many products out there that claim to do this, but the most effective
of them carry out at least one of two important tasks. The first important
function a hair product should do in order to restore the healthy look of your
hair is smoothing down the cuticle, which makes the surface of your strands
much more reflective. The other task a hair product can do to make your hair
look healthier is restore the keratin in the core of your hair. Keratin is the
material in which your hair is made of. When you damage your hair, the keratin
is broken down, leaving it weak and dull. Restoring the keratin will make your
hair stronger and less porous, which will give it a healthy look and help
prevent breakage.

Having
dull, lifeless hair can be a challenge for those who love to change the look of
their hair. Whether it’s because of genetics or chemicals and heat, people
should understand that no product can truly cure damaged hair and the best
thing to do is to prevent further damage. Thankfully, there are products that
can make your hair look healthy and shiny and lessen the appearance of previous
damage.

Comments

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sending

Emily

4 years agofrom Missouri

Using sulfate free shampoo and silicone free conditioner is the best thing you can do :) Tried and proven! I've used keratin shampoos which are awesome and argan oil shampoo (Pro Naturals is a good brand) which is even better so totally recommend those!

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